The former chief executive and chairman of Stafford Hospital are to be
referred to the police for criminal investigation over the hospital's care
scandal.

Martin Yeates and Toni Brisby have been accused of misleading the local council by giving false information about death rates.

Stafford Borough Council claims the pair committed misconduct in public office by telling its health scrutiny panel that the 2008 rates were blamed on recording methods as opposed to poor care.

It said in a statement: "Stafford Borough Council agreed last night to instruct the chief executive to make formal complaint to the Crown Prosecution Service in that Mr Martin Yeates and Mrs Toni Brisby committed the offence of misconduct in public office by knowingly giving false and misleading evidence to the council's statutory overview and scrutiny committee."

The CPS said it had spoken to the council and confirmed that the correct procedure would be to make an initial complaint to the police.

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "We have not received a complaint from Stafford Borough Council but are aware of the motion.

"With all complaints, we review any information given to us to see if a police investigation is the appropriate way forward."

There have been increasing calls for a full police inquiry into the scandal, which resulted in the deaths of up to 1,200 patients who were "routinely neglected" at the hospital.

A criminal investigation has already been launched into the death of Gillian Astbury, 66, who died at the hospital in 2007 after nurses forgot to give her insulin.

The Health and Safety Executive, which has the power to bring criminal charges, started a full investigation into the failings that led to her death earlier this month. It said it was considering the responsibilities of both the NHS trust that oversaw the hospital and "individuals" who worked there.

Stafford Borough Council met on Tuesday to debate a report published by Monitor, the health regulator, in February that called for the closure of some services at Stafford Hospital.

It voted against proposals to close some departments, including A&E. Instead, councillors supported the idea of merging services with other NHS trusts.

Mid Staffordshire became the first NHS Foundation Trust to go into administration earlier this month.